Exploring the World of Craft Meat
A5 Wagyu at a Department Store in Japan
July 8th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 7,202 times • less than one min read
We visited a department store in Tokyo to see what we could learn about Japan's luxury beef brands and its legendary A5 Wagyu. They had Kuroge Washu A5 Wagyu for sale for $195 to $240 per pound. Here is a screenshot of Wagyu for sale on Amazon Japan for $215 per pound. Enjoy the video!
Japan's 100% Traceability
July 7th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 5,157 times • 2 min read
Japanese consumers enjoy a level of traceability that's almost unrivaled across the world. Any piece of beef in a Japanese retail store can be traced backward through the course of its product chain all the way back to the producer, and then even beyond -- to the individual animal on the farm. The way it works is this: You walk into any given store in Japan. You pick up a package of beef, spot the clearly-marked tracking number. You enter it...
Japanese A5 Wagyu Recipes
July 7th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 12,749 times • less than one min read
We collected a bunch of fun Wagyu recipes from around the good ol' internet to give you some inspiration. Take a look, and happy cooking! Wagyu Steak with Wasabi and Tosa Joyu (soy dipping sauce), by Famous Cuisines Channel Dave Beaulieu's Wagyu steak recipe for New York steaks Top Chef Dad's Wagyu striploin recipe for Striploin steaks Black-Pepper Crusted Wagyu New York steaks with Black Truffle Vinaigrette, from Epicurious Sous Vide Wagyu...
Spotlight on Kagoshima
July 6th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 5,675 times • 1 min read
Kagoshima, Japan (鹿児島) is located in the far south of Japan in Kyushu (九州). It's a beautiful area with a storied agricultural heritage; and it's collectively responsible for around 20% of Japan's Kuroge Washu cattle, the Wagyu breed that produces Japanese A5 Wagyu. Kagoshima's year-round temperate climate and ecology are well-suited to raising healthy cattle with low stress levels, a necessary component of achieving A5 quality. This region...
Cutting Beef Like the Japanese
July 6th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 13,772 times • 2 min read
A5 Wagyu from Japan is legendary in the beef world. Its unique genetics help it to produce the most insanely decadent, marbled beef on the planet. Beef this rich and marbled shouldn't be eaten like an American Angus steak (read: salted, grilled on open flame, and devoured multiple pounds at a time by a single person). I've been that person. I am that person. So believe me: Wagyu really does deserve a different treatment. For one, the literal...
Japanese Cattle Breeds
July 6th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 12,928 times • 1 min read
Japan produces some of the most outrageously marbled, incredibly decadent beef on the planet. And because of that, there are a lot of people outside of Japan who use the words "Wagyu" or "Kobe" or "American Kobe" to capitalize on that reputation in an attempt to charge higher prices. We're going to break it down for you in this post. In Japan, the word “Wagyu” (和牛) means “Japanese Cow.” There are four breeds under the Wagyu umbrella: Kuroge...
How does beef achieve "A5" status?
July 6th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 99,016 times • 2 min read
"Out-of-this-world-good." That, plus a whole lot of incoherent salivating, is how we would describe the exquisitely marbled beef for which Japan is legendary. When it's at its absolute best, they call it "A5." The quality of the beef is almost ludicrous--across the whole planet, there is nothing better. A5 Tenderloin from Kagoshima, on Crowd Cow But... what does A5 mean exactly? Let's break it down. The rating system is alphanumerical, which...
Get to Know Dragonfly Farms
June 21st, 2017 by Laura T. • Read 2,274 times • less than one min read
Set your clocks to Monday, June 26 at 8AM EST to reserve your shares from our newest farm: Dragonfly Farms. Owned and operated by Bruce and Katherine Johnson, Dragonfly Farms raises Angus-Belted Galloway cows on a rich diet of native grasses and clovers in the rural pasturelands of Beaverdam, VA. Come tour Dragonfly Farms and take a look at all the hard work the Johnson's put into raising their 100% grass-fed beef.
Get To Know Novy Ranch
June 19th, 2017 by Laura T. • Read 2,799 times • less than one min read
Set your clocks to Wednesday, June 21 at 8AM PST to reserve your shares from our newest farm: Novy Ranch. Located in Northern California’s Shasta Valley, Novy Ranch is owned and operated by the Novy family. First started by Dr. Lowell Novy, a small animal veterinarian, Novy Ranch’s pasture-raised beef reflects Dr. Novy’s lifelong interest in conservation and ranching. Come tour Novy Ranch and take a look at all the hard work the Novy family...
Get To Know Hat Creek Ranch
June 12th, 2017 by Laura T. • Read 2,916 times • less than one min read
Set your clocks to Monday, June 19 at 8AM PST to reserve your shares from our newest farm: Hat Creek Ranch. A 4th-generation ranch, Hat Creek is owned and operated by Henry and Pam Giacomini. Part of the Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek's cows enjoy a blend of desert grasses and forest greens that fatten them up beautifully. Come tour Hat Creek and take a look at all the hard work Henry and Pam put into raising their 100% grass-fed beef.
